Please consider completing this survey to support SAS’s aspirations on planning reform.​
DEADLINE: ​23 December

This survey/consultation is part of the​Scottish Government’s ​preparation ​for its upcoming Planning Bill (2017), which it considers Community Engagement to be an important part of. We all know about community engagement with wind farm developers and it is important our views are heard. Going through the survey and choosing what you see as the right answer in the light of your experience would be very worthwhile.

There are a couple of important questions for people who have campaigned against wind farms and won the argument at the local level only to see it overturned by a DPEA reporter.

1. In particular, there is a question about ‘balanced’ right of appeal – this is also called “Equal Right of Appeal” or “Third Party Right of Appeal” which we have been calling for alongside t​he John Muir Trust and Planning Democracy whose work we support. This would be a real game-changer and it will need numbers to make them mention it when they report back to government.

2. There is also a question about “communities of interest”. That is important to wind farm objectors and supporters of SAS who are all members of a community of interest. We have a shared position and should be considered a legitimate participant in planning applications, wherever they are in Scotland, as well as more generally in the planning process. ​

​I have completed ​the survey and it takes less than 15 minutes and if it helps in our ambitions to see planning reform, it would be time well spent

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7VXLRW5

DEADLINE: Friday 23rd December 2016. This deadline is outrageous and we have written to the Minister. See below and if anyone wants to complain about the time line the Minister is Kevin Stewart MSP and his email is ministerlgh@gov.scot

Please forward to anyone you know who may have an interest, to fill it in! This is really important to us. Thanks for taking time to read the email as well.​

Graham Lang

Barriers to community engagement in the Scottish planning system: online survey : 12th – 23rd December

Dear Minister

We have received notice of this on line survey and have passed it to our membership and I hope many will be able to contribute by 23rd December.

That said,​ given the importance of the consultation​,​ this is an unreasonably short period to allow for responses and I would ask you, as Minister for Planning, to exercise your powers and extend the consultation.

Community Engagement must be a central plank of the Scottish Planning system and people must be given time to engage. A mere 10 days in the period immediately before the Christmas weekend is more than unreasonable.

Best wishes

Graham Lang www.scotlandagainstspin.org

Categories: SAS Blog

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